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Aaron Rodgers is one of the few remaining NFL players who is over 40 years old, but he might not be around much longer. The longtime quarterback is a free agent again after this season. He’s already weighed retirement at least once during the twilight years of his Hall of Fame career. Could this be the end?
Aaron Rodgers reveals retirement plans
The Pittsburgh Steelers faced a win-or-go-home matchup earlier this week with the Baltimore Ravens, officially winning the AFC North and getting into the playoffs. The Ravens have been sent home to start planning for next season.
Regardless of if Rodgers retires or not, he’s only under contract for this season. He’s a free agent if he puts off retirement again, and it’s unclear if he’s going to do that.
“I’m thinking about this week, but obviously I’m 42 years old and I’m on a one-year deal,” he said per ESPN. “So you know what the situation is. Whenever the season ends, I’ll be a free agent. So that’ll give me a lot of options if I still want to play. I mean, not a lot of options, but there’ll be options, I would think, maybe one or two, if I decide I still want to play.”
If Rodgers does come back, he would likely have a couple of suitors at least. The Steelers might consider it. The Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders might. He’d presumably want to start. However, if he were open to backing up and mentoring a young QB, the options would expand. That’s not likely, though, especially because he can clearly still play.
“I’ve enjoyed this experience, and everybody in Pittsburgh has been fantastic to me on and off the field. And it’s really what I was hoping for this experience was, it’s been even better than I was hoping,” he said, and it’s hard not to read the shade thrown at the New York Jets.
Given the fact that he played so poorly and had such a bad time with the Jets, it’s very plausible that Rodgers would’ve wanted to go out on a higher note. That may well be why he opted to forego retirement and join the Steelers.
He said “at times” he has played like he wanted to this year. Rodger also admitted that there are always “growing pains” in joining a new offense for the first time. He said another year is always good. With that said, there’s no telling whether or not he plans to return for a second run.
“We’ve done the best we could with our conversations and our meeting time outside the facility and our meeting time in the facility,” he added. “But obviously the more years you get in the system with the same guys, the more continuity you have, the better you feel like you can play.”
What Aaron Rodgers said before 2025 season
After signing a one-year deal with the Steelers, Aaron Rodgers admitted on the Pat McAfee Show that it might be his final hurrah. At his age, it’s wise to take it one year at a time. However, Rodgers felt like it could be his last.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure this is it,” Rodgers said before the season began. “That’s why we just did a one-year deal. Steelers didn’t need to put any extra years on that or anything, so this was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I’ve had.”
Rodgers will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he hangs them up. If his eligibility timer starts after this weekend or a year or two down the road, it won’t change a thing.
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